Finally made it to the scales, what a surprise.
5er - '12 Cougar XLite 26SAB \ Dry Wt 6755, Pin Wt 1150
TV - '08 Ram 2500 Laramie, Quad, 4x4, CTD, 3.73
======2500 Ratings===Without Trailer== With Trailer
GAW-F ==5,200.========4,629.=======4,608.
GAW-R ==6,200.========3,174.=======4,982.
GVW====9,000.========7,803.=======9,590.
GCW===20,000.=====9,590 + Trailer Axles 6,812 = 16,402.
Payload==1,970.========1,197.=======-590. overweight
Trailer Wt loaded, no water - Trailer Axles 6,812 + 1787 Pin = 8,599
The scales must be broken. Cant believe that the truck when loaded with myself, DW, Dog and a few odds n' ends but no trailer shows that my remaining payload reduces from the door sticker at 1970 down to 1197. Also cant believe that we have loaded 1844# of stuff in the 5er (which is supposedly 1/2 T towable).
The truck squats about 3" and is almost on the overloads but handles great and lots of pulling power.
Our plan was to upsize the 5er to something with a dry weight of 10,500# and a Pin wt of around 2,000. I figured I would have to add a leaf and/or air bags as seems to be the case with so many out there but based on the above wts a bigger 5er will put me in danger of exceeding a 3500's wt ratings. They say the only difference between a 2500 and 3500 is an extra leaf so perhaps thats my solution.
DW retires next summer and the following winter we want to winter in Az so I have till then to decide what to do. Any ideas would be most welcome.
